Even Voldemort Can't Stop the Christmas Spirit
by Fizzing-Whizbee-nz
Summary: A ficlet about how Harry and Dumbledore and some others help Father Christmas and stop Voldemort from ruining Christmas day. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!
1. 1: Christmas Eve Visits

A/N: my Beta and I were listening to carols by candelight when we came up for the idea of this story. I wrote it under the affluence of incohol but it seems to be ok.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Father Christmas or any of the other characters I just borrowed them for a little while. Even Voldemort Can't Stop the Christmas Spirit

1: Christmas Eve Visits

Harry Potter was having a snowball fight with Ron and Ginny Weasley and some of their Gryffindor friends in the morning of Christmas eve. He decided that just for Christmas he would forget all about the prophecy and the fact that one day he would have to kill or be killed by Voldemort, for once he just wanted to enjoy being free and happy. Splat! a snowball thrown by Ginny hit him between the eyes. He laughed and wiped away the wet snow and chased after her.

"I'll get you for that!" he cried.

In his office Albus Dumbledore stood at his window and watched the snowball fight with a quiet smile. It was nice to see Harry having fun. Turning to his desk he picked up a piece of parchment and quill and wrote a quick message which he sent off with his Phoenix.

"Harry i wonder if you would come to my office. There is something I always do on Christmas eve and I would like you to come with me if you would. Please bring your invisibility cloak with you. AD"

Harry was surprised by the message he received but he shrugged and hurried inside. Couldn't Dumbledore let him enjoy his Christmas in peace, he wondered. There was always something to remind him about the war and spoil his mood. He went up to his room and collected the cloak before going to the second floor and giving the password "candy canes" to the gargoyle.

Dumbledore was wearing red and white clothes and he was standing near the fireplace when Harry arrived.

"Ahh here you are my boy, and you have your cloak I see, very good. Shall we go?"

"Where are we going Sir?"

"To Grimmauld place first to meet the others who are coming with us," Dumbledore said and stepped into the green flames.

Sirius was waiting for them in the kitchen of his old home. Harry hugged him, remembering how he had almost lost his Godfather at the Ministry a few months ago. If Dumbledore hadn't acted so quickly and performed some complicated charm Sirius would have gone through the veil and Harry would have lost the closest thing to a family he had ever known. Both of them had realised how lucky they were to still be together. Sirius was much happier now he was a free man, the minister had pardoned him and he had been busy with work for the Order. He felt useful again and his mood was improved as a result. Harry hadn't seen him since the start of school so he was very happy to see him now.

"Harry!" called Remus Lupin as he came in. They smiled at each other. It was good to see him too, Harry thought.

"I think we are all ready," said Dumbledore, "Harry if you will put on your cloak we will be going, you will need to hold my arm because you are not yet able to apparate alone.'

Harry didn't like apparating much, he had tried it once before with Dumbledore when they had left the Dursleys that summer. He held on tightly to the Headmaster and closed his eyes. When he opened them they were standing at a street corner.

"there's an orphanage for Squib children down here," sirius told him, "One christmas me and your dad came with Dumbledore, it was great fun."

"Yes you were as mischevious as ever," Dumbledore remarked, "It's time to transform now Sirius if you would," So Harry walked down the street with his Headmaster and his former professor and a black dog by his side.

The children were very happy to see Dumbledore and they loved Padfoot, all of them wanted to pat him and a little girl asked if she could keep him. Dumbledore handed out presents and sang Christmas carols with the children. He had a fine voice and seemed to really enjoy singing. Harry and Lupin passed out sweets and Christmas cake and talked to the children. After two hours of fun Dumbledore said it was time to leave. A lot of the younger children hugged him and even Harry got his fair share of hugs before he was free to follow the others out the door. When they were outside he put the invisibility cloak back on and followed the others down the street.

Their next stop was Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. 

"Some people unfortunately have no visitors at christmas time, so I make a point of visiting each one. Everyone deserves to have someone to share the Christmas spirit with."

As they walked down the street to the entrance Harry noticed how quiet things were. All the Muggle shops were decorated for Christmas but there were hardly any people about. The few people that he did see were hurrying to finish their shoppoing in the quickest possible time. It was a bitterly cold day but surely that wasn't the only reason why there were so few people on the streets.

At Saint Mungo's they visited all the people bringing presents and singing Christmas songs and spending a few minutes talking to each one. There were some who were too sick to talk so they sat by them talking to them for a few minutes. Harry was surprised to see how much improvement Lockheart had made. He was sitting at a table signing photos with his old fancy script and talking about some of the great things he had done.

"Ahh Harry how are you doing at school? I'm sure your Defence professor isn't teaching you as much as I did when I was there, eh?"

"Professor Snape is teaching Defence Against the Dark arts this year," Harry told him.

"ahh Severus, an excellent Potions master but I'm sure his Defence lessons aren't as interesting as mine,"

"Well they are different,' Harry replied. He was greatful when Dumbledore made their excuses and left Lockheart to his autographing.

Neville's parents were lying in their beds mumbling to themselves. Harry remembered Mrs Longbottom from last year when he had seen her giving a gum wrapper to Neville, one of the saddest things he had ever seen.

When they left the hospital they took a portkey to their next destination. Harry had never seen this place before, it was a large manor house surrounded by gardens. 

"Where is this, Sir?" he asked Dumbledore.

"This is a retirement home for aged wizzards Harry," the Headmaster told him. "These people don't have families to take care of them and so the Wizarding Community sponsors this home for them." Harry thought how sad it must be for people who had lived long and useful lives to be packed away to this place with nobody to care for them but healers and volunteers. It wasn't the same as having family to spend Christmas with.

The people in the home were happy to see them, they all made a fuss of the boy who lived and for once harry didn't mind the fuss that was made of him. They handed out presents and talked to the people for a while before Dumbledore said it was time to return to Hogwarts. They apparated back to Grimmauld place where Harry said goodbye to Sirius and Lupin before flooing back to Dumbledore's office. 


	2. 2: The Best Laid Plans of an Evil Wizard

2: The Best Laid Plans of an Evil Wizard Voldemort stood in the centre of the circle of Death Eaters looking happier then any of them had seen for a long time. Severus Snape shuddered inwardly, knowing that Voldemort's good mood boded ill for someone.

"Friends!" cried Voldemort, "My plans have come to fruition and I am most pleased with those of you who helped in this work. The dementors have done their work sapping away Christmas cheer from the hearts of muggles and Muggle lovers like that fool Dumbledore, and thanks to the work of some of my faithful followers there will be no happy Christmas for children, there will be tears instead of laughter!" He cackled evilly and all the Death Eaters laughed with him. Christmas meant nothing to them anyway. Unfortunately for them they had reckoned without Albus Dumbledore.

---------- ----------

Harry gaped in utter astonishment when he saw who was waiting for them in Dumbledore's office. Was this some sort of joke? Surely there wasn't any such person as...

"Father Christmas!" Dumbledore said, shaking hands with the old man in the red suit. "What a pleasure to see you again!"

"Albus Dumbledore I have come seeking your help," said Father Christmas and Harry noticed that he looked harrassed and stressed instead of joyful.

"Of course you have my help, anything I can do," said Dumbledore.

"My home has been attacked and a great deal of toys and other presents have been damaged." Father Christmas told them, "It is Christmas Eve and I have little time. The Reindeer are gone and somehow I have to get presents to all the children in the world before sunrise."

"Don't worry we wil make sure the presents are delivered."

"Maybe Dobby and the others can help with the presents,' Harry suggested.

"An excellent idea, call Dobby if you would Harry," Dumbledore answered. Harry called and the house elf appeared before him looking excited at the thought that harry needed him.

"Harry Potter and Professor Dumbledore is wanting Dobby's help Dobby is happy to do whatever is needed." 

"Collect any of the house elves that will volunteer and bring them to me," Dumbledore said, "Harry will you go and tell Professor McGonagall to come here and ask Hagrid to have a group of Hipogriffs waiting at the gate, please?"

Harry hurried away and returned a few minutes later with the transfiguration teacher. He stood in a corner listening while Dumbledore gave instructions to the House Elves and told Professor McGonagall where he was going.

"Can i come too, sir?" Harry asked.

"What do you think, Father Christmas?" asked Dumbledore.

"Let him come, any helping hands will be appreciated," he replied. 

They took a portkey to Father Christmas' house and Harry was surprised to find Sirius and a small group of Order members guarding the area. 

"I've sent a group to attack the Riddle house tonight," Dumbledore explained, "i don't expect them to get Voldemort but they should be able to distract him for a time." 

The next few hours flew by as Harry and the others busied themselves getting ready for the trip. Dobby and the House Elves were helping the other elves make last minute gifts while Dumbledore used his wand to repair some of the others that had been destroyed. They had to have one for each girl and boy.

At last Hagrid and the Hipogriffs arrived, Harry wondered how they could have travelled so far so quickly but he didn't stop to think about it then. it was time for the sleigh to be loaded and the Hipogriffs with collars and leads decorated with bells were harnessed to it.

"It's not quite the same as travelling with reindeer but at least we'll get there," said Father Christmas. 

They set off, Father Christmas and Hagrid and Harry, Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts but Father Christmas had asked to have Harry along so he got into the sleigh wrapped in a thick warm mantle that had been charmed to stay warm no matter what.

'We start at the Southern Hemisphere," Father Christmas explained, Because they start Christmas before we do." They spent the time it took to get there singing Christmas songs and eating some of the Christmas food that Mother Christmas packed for them. Harry liked the kindly old lady, she reminded him a bit of Mrs Weasley.

Then the true business of the night began. At each house they would stop and Father Christmas would head down the chimney to leave presents. Sometimes he returned carrying cookies or other food that had been left for him. Some people had left carots for the Reindeer and Father Christmas gave them to the Hipogriffs. As time passed he became a bit merry from the glasses of beer some people had left for him.

"It would be wrong not to drink it," he explained, handing Harry a bottle of cold beer. he didn't like it as much as butterbeer but he drank it anyway. In Australia they were met by the six white boomers, large Kangaroos that always pulled santa's sleigh in that country. Hagrid and the group of Hipogriffs had a rest while the boomers took them across Australia delivering presents to all the Aussie girls and boys.

"I like Australia," Father Christmas told harry, "It's a grand place, so big, and the people are so friendly. I'ts always my favourite stop."

They travelled on and Hagrid joined them at the very tip of Queensland to harness the Hipogriffs again for their flight to Indonesia. Harry wondered how the attack on the Riddle house was going, he hoped that none of the Order members would get too badly hurt. As the night progressed Father Christmas told Harry some stories. Harry's favourite was the one about Saint Nicholas who went around giving gifts to the poor, he thought that showed how great the Christmas spirit was. It was all about giving and sharing and Saint Nicholas sure did that in his time. He laughed when he thought that Voldemort could sure use a dose of the Christmas spirit. 

Harry was utterly exhausted when at last they returned to the North Pole. Mother Christmas gave him a bed and told him to get some sleep .

---------- ----------

There was fairy dust in the air, mixed with something so pure and sweet that they couldn't stand it -- hope and faith and peace. The dementors withdrew and hurried back to the Riddle house to join a creature as dark as they were. they could hear his cry of rage as he realized his plans had gone awry. 


	3. A Very Merry Christmas To All!

3: A Very Merry Christmas to All!

The sun rose over Hogwarts castle and a golden beam fell through the window onto the floor between two beds. the door opened and a red headed boy burst through.

"Are you going to get up and open your presents or what?" Ron asked, "It's almost lunch time." Harry stirred and opened his eyes wondering how he had got back to Hogwarts. He didn't remember anything about that. Reaching for his glasses he got out of bed and followed his friend out of the dorm and downstairs to the commonroom where his presents were waiting under the tree. From Hermione he got a book called "how to survive the N.E.W.Ts" and from ron there was a pack of Fizzing Whizbees and a hat that was supposed to keep his head warm and dry even in rain and snow.

"I thought you could wear that when we're playing Quidditch, it's in Gryffindor colours," he pointed out. There was the usual sweater from Mrs weasley and a box of fudge. From Dobby there was some odd socks which he had knitted and a picture of Harry riding his broom, Harry tried not to let Ron see that but he did and teased Harry about it all day until he threatened to ask Dobby to do a picture for Ron. From Sirius and Remus there was a painting of the Marauders and Lily which Harry hung in his bedroom. there was one more present which Harry opened last, wondering who it was from. It was a small golden star on a gold chain and there was a note with it in a hand he didn't recognise.

"If ever you need somewhere to hide or a place to get away tap the points of this star and it will bring you to the North Pole. We will be happy to see you any time. Thanks for your help Harry Potter, a merry Christmas to all, ho ho ho!"

"Who's that from?" Ron asked.

"um... Father Christmas," Harry answered grinning. Ron gave him a strange look but harry didn't care. They went down for lunch with the other Gryffindors who had stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas. On their way they met Professor Snape who was coming up from the dungeons to have Christmas dinner in the great hall as Dumbledore had ordered him. He was moving slowly and seemed to be in pain, Voldemort had inflicted the Cruciatus curse on all his faithful followers that morning.

"I gather you had something to do with last nights events, Potter," he said to Harry as they passed.

"Yes sir I did," harry answered grinning broadly.

"I should have known."

"Merry Christmas sir," Harry called as Snape walked away. Severus Snape turned around and stared at Harry for a moment before smiling at him for the first time ever.

"Merry Christmas Harry Potter," he said. 


End file.
